A Tiny Holiday Re-Cap

Such a fun holiday season this year!  We intentionally downsized on the gifts, we had more experiences together as a family, we spent lots of time enjoying each other and the awesome friends we've been blessed with.  It was good.  It was what it's supposed to be.  Christmas with less "hype" is the way to go, in my humble opinion.

We still kept the essentials in there.  Reading, "Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve...

Leaving cookies out for Santa -- and carrots for the reindeer!  Although, a new tradition we started this year was to leave out cookies made by Grammy Gale for Santa, since half the house can't have gluten anyway and baking seemed a stressful, pointless tradition to focus on!

I set a fancy table that would have made Martha proud, and Andrew made an amazing Christmas Eve dinner.  The best part was who we shared it with -- some of our neighbors who have become good friends to both us and our kiddos.

Oh, and there was a Christmas tree made of butter -- which really is the most important thing.  Fa la la la la!

We really downsized on gifts this year, too -- keeping the kids to a few presents from Santa, and just 4 gifts each from us.  We went the whole "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" route for their gifts from us -- and it was so much fun!

Want: Legos, Need: Snow Boots, Wear: Personalized Shirt, Read: Books - obviously!

The kids were happy with the downsizing and Andrew and I both have said it was one of our favorite holiday seasons in a long time.  Less stuff, more appreciation for each other.

Oh, and a puppy.  We got a puppy for Christmas!

His name is Archer, and he's absolutely adorable.  The kids are in love with him.  Sophie...not so much.

This was truly a fantastic Christmas season for our family -- hopefully for yours, too!

We're sad to see it go, but we are excited for the great things that 2014 is going to bring our way!

Oh, hi.

If I had a nickel for every time someone has mentioned my blog lately and I’ve sighed and said, “Yeah, I really need to start blogging again…”

I’d have enough nickels to –

Fill up Kennedy’s new pink piggy bank – her latest and greatest acquisition from our Saturday morning trips to the flea market. 

Buy all the non-red-hatted gnomes on all the post-summer clearance racks across the county and force them into being red-hatted gnomes and living in my garden.

Pay for Bennet to go to Driver’s Ed?  Kid is growing up way too fast.  Kindergarten, wanting to drive Daddy’s car, girlfriends at school?  Stop.  It.

Send poor Sophie to an actual groomer, instead of making her take a bath in Crayola Bath Color water with two loud children. 

(But, if you’ve met Sophie, you know she deserves it.)

Spend most mornings at Starbucks, drinking unsweetened iced passion tea and working hard! 

Oh wait…that last one is actually what I’ve been doing! 

With Bennet in Kindergarten full days and Kennedy doing so well in preschool, I’ve found lots of time to focus on freelancing again.  It’s amazing, but I am one busy bee these days! 

I fondly remember when the only thing I was actively writing was this blog.  I miss those days, and I miss those of you who have read along with me since I was pregnant with Bennet, as well as those of you who discovered my little corner of the world along the way.

Consider this my collective sigh. 

Yeah, I really need to start blogging again.

So, yet again, here goes nothing!

California Dreamin’.

Oh, hey, remember us?  Yeah, my babies are growing up.  I die.  They are way too adorable and smart for their own good.  We love them unimaginably. 

I’ve been on a blogging hiatus that stretched out way longer than I expected it to – nearly a year to be exact!

A few things in recent months have made me pause and consider breaking radio silence.  That time when all the Christians got hysterical over people (myself included) posting the gay rights “equal sign” as their Facebook profile photo, the complete heartache I felt when watching the news of the Boston Marathon bombing roll in, one of my fellow blogger-friends being torn apart on some critical website by a bunch of jerks (You are awesome, Hannah!), registering Bennet for Kindergarten, Kennedy’s first year of preschool, Bennet losing not one - but TWO teeth (with another one loose,) friends, love, heartbreak, lessons learned, my newfound love of gardening, this pastor who really pissed me off once at Starbucks when he showed up for a meeting wearing a really aggressive, judgemental anti-abortion shirt ---

But here’s what has inspired me to blog again.  Excitement.  The realization of my love of the grand, sunny state of California and how much of Andrew and I’s relationship was built around the west coast.

Eek! Who are these people? These young, care-free beings who thought that they were living busy, stressful lives?  True story --Andrew worked near Los Angeles for 2 years before we met, and that after we were dating for only a few months, he went back to CA for a field assignment.  I spent about a year visiting him every-other-weekend in what is, in MY humble opinion, the greatest state in the union.

Eek again.  I was so excited to see Britney’s star on the Walk of Fame.  For reals.

But really.  We toured, we sunned ourselves, we got to know each other --- all on a completely different coast.  Bliss.

Wineries…

Beaches…

Memories that go back to before I even had a digital camera.  Hello, OLDNESS.

This being said, we’ve been blessed that Andrew’s job has allowed him lots of west coast travel again of late.  I’ve been able to go, and it’s been amazing to re-visit some of our old favorite haunts, as well as to find new places we love.

We traveled together not too long ago, and decided to visit our most favorite restaurant – The Lobster – in Santa Monica.

Such a romantic spot.  On the water, view of the Santa Monica pier, sunset, SIGH.

We’re headed out to the west coast next week – and when planning our last night in Los Angeles, we both agreed we HAD to do dinner again at the Lobster.

“Especially since, when I was single and living out there, I always said I wished I had a pretty girl to go on a romantic date with to the Lobster,” said my sweet hubby.

AND SO, friends, I’ll tell you this – almost a full year of radio silence from this gal, and what made me break it wasn’t my annoyance with humanity, or my cute freaking kiddos, or a story about the day-to-day in the ‘burbs.

It was love.  And sunshine.  And a coast that seems oh-so-far-away, but it always oh-so-close in our hearts. 

Oh, and my cute hubbs, who always seems to love me no matter what life throws at us.

So, I’m hoping to hop back on the blogging train.  But who knows…maybe I’ll see you next spring.

Fort McHenry Family Field Trip

Bennet recently learned about the Star Spangled Banner at preschool.  He’s been singing it non-stop, and has developed a bit of an obsession with all things “War of 1812” and “Francis Scott Key” related. 

Oh, and with the Americans being the “good guys” and the British being the “bad guys.”

Back at the start of the school year, Andrew had taken off work this morning to attend the kids’ pumpkin farm field trip. We found out recently that it was going to cost $30 for all of us to attend – $30!

We decided instead to take the kids to Fort McHenry, so that Bennet could see the birth place of the Star Spangled Banner.  Since we used to live IN Locust Point – the neighborhood where Fort McHenry is located – Bennet was also excited to go back to the “house he was a baby in.”

Also, YES, the kids wore Captain America shirts.

It’s gut-wrenching for me that Bennet has no recollection of the 2 1/2 years we spent living in Locust Point before moving to the ‘burbs.  I told him today that I spent many-a-morning walking Baby Bennet around the fort in his stroller.  Perhaps that’s why he appreciates the history so much?

The kids busied themselves with racing around the paths of the fort, and climbing on statues.  I’m shocked that we didn’t get in trouble for either.

We did, however, get in trouble for letting the kids stand on the seawall.  It’s a historic sea wall, you know?  And there is a sign that says “no standing on the sea wall.”  Sheesh.

Bennet’s questions about the war and about our boy Francis were amazing.  “Are the bad guys still alive?” and “Did Francis Scott Key use the American flag to blow up the British?” 

Oh well, he’s four.

After walking around the fort, we hit the new visitor’s center, and the kids each got an American flag in the gift shop.

Bennet also got a book about Francis Scott Key, and a post card to take to show-and-tell at school. 

I hope his teacher is at least a little impressed that we went on such an educational trip.

After our time at Fort McHenry, we hit up an old South Baltimore fave – a little Mexican restaurant we used to frequent.

$30 spent on enchiladas, margaritas, and American flags – THAT seems like $30 well-spent to me!

Also worth the money spent?

Hearing Bennet run around the driveway with his flag when we got home, saying, “KENNEDY, Let’s play Francis Scott Key!  I’ll be the American and you be the British and I’ll blow you up with my flag!”

Weekend Fun!

This past weekend was one of those ones that go too fast, but are lots of fun! 

After a Friday night dinner with my family, we woke up on Saturday morning ready to volunteer for our friend Nic Kipke’s park clean-up.  It was the kids’ first opportunity to volunteer and they did a great job!

We hiked through the nature trails of the park, picking up trash and bagging it up.  Then, Andrew and the kids pulled weeds for an area that’s being made into a butterfly garden.

We were all exhausted after our morning, so we came home and took a long Saturday afternoon nap!  Then, we took the kids to a bonfire at my friend Rose’s house.

I took this cute jar full of glow sticks for all the kids – love it!

Our kids are early bed-goers, so taking them to a party that didn’t start until 7 was a big deal for them!  They did great – playing with their friends and eating hot dogs and smores – I couldn’t believe how late we got to stay before everyone got sleepy!

Kennedy wasn’t a fan of the heat from the bonfire.

So I let her run and play and instead sat by the fire and got caught up with some good friends!

Eventually, the kids ran out of steam and we headed home.  Such a fun time!

Yesterday we had a little pumpkin-carving party. 

Such a great end to a super-fun weekend!

Pumpkin Carving!

Such a special time carving pumpkins this year!  My mom and grandma came over to help, and the kids had a blast working on their pumpkins.

Bennet wanted a Batman pumpkin, so he and Andrew worked on this beauty --

Kennedy wanted a “witch” pumpkin, and thanks to Pinterest and an old witch hat I had picked up on a thrifting trip, we came up with this --

It’s pretty much my favorite pumpkin I’ve ever carved.

I put my mom and Mommom on pumpkin-seed-picking-duty, and we have tons of pumpkin seeds to use.  I am planning on roasting some tomorrow, and on trying out a pumpkin seed pesto recipe that’s also from Pinterest.

Monkey see, Monkey do.

Hope everyone enjoys your last few days before Halloween!  It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving will be coming up soon, and that Christmas will be here before we know it!  Time flies!